Squiz Q&A with Kristy Linardos, Production Manager

Melbourne-based Kristy Linardos shares her thoughts on Squiz, stationery, and work-life balance, and she even reveals something a little bit fishy.

Squiz: How long have you been working for Squiz?

Linardos: I’ve been with Squiz since June 2015.

Did you attend university?

I did – many different ones until I figured out what I really wanted to do. I have Bachelor of Technology (computing studies) through RMIT.

What does your average day look like?

Every day can be different, and that’s what I love about it. I could be meeting clients on-site or in the office, working with my team on projects, managing our scheduling, supporting the team wherever required (this is a big focus for me), managing all things production, working on process-improvement activities – the list goes on.

What do you love most about your job?

The people, hands down. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better bunch of people to share your days with. We work hard but have a lot of fun doing it. It would be rare for a day to pass without laughing to near tears.

Who inspires you?

People who live their truths and aren’t afraid to go after what they want.

What’s the biggest upcoming revolution in the marketing world, according to you?

In the digital-marketing space, although the adage 'Content is king' is getting a bit long in the tooth, quality content still reigns supreme and will certainly continue to do so in 2017 and beyond.

It's all about engagement, and without quality content, it’s incredibly hard to engage with your audience, be it on a microsite, blog, intranet, corporate site, or mobile application.

With the use of personalisation, we are now able to really target our customers with timely, relevant, and personalised content.

Here at Squiz, we know that a good website is the sum of its parts, and quality content and information architecture are just as important as design and implementation.

What was your dream job when you were a little girl?

I don’t know that I really had one, which is probably why it took me a little while to land on a university course that interested me. However, I did spend a lot of time playing ‘secretaries’ with my sisters and cousins. I still to this day love stationery.

How do you manage your work-life balance?

I prioritise regular exercise, which helps me keep a healthy mind. This is super-important in this day and age, where life just seems to get busier and busier. I make sure that I carve out time for myself – to do things that make me feel good, even when things feel too crazy busy! Spending time laughing with family and friends on a regular basis is also a must. It’s important to take time to switch off from work, even when it feels like the time isn’t there.

What do you love most about Melbourne?

Everything (except for the weather)! The culture, the people, the diversity, the food, the lifestyle. It’s the most livable city in the world. Just ask The Economist.

What one thing do you wish you had (skill, item, magic power, or other)?

Balance. I tend to be an all-or-nothing person. Although this can work in my favour, sometimes it would be nice to know a little more balance.

Tell us something none of your colleagues knows about you.

I spent much of my youth out on a boat fishing and have a long list of catches under my belt, from marlin and kingfish to yellowfin tuna and the likes.

Why Squiz?

You can’t look past an organisation that really cares about its people and spends so much time and effort fostering a culture that makes coming to work an enjoyable experience.

Kristy will be tweeting her week at @lifeatsquiz from 19 to 23 December; follow along to see what she gets up to during the week.